


En Pointe

by Sinna



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Ballet AU, Cosette is a temptress and she knows it, F/F, M/M, Modern AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-21
Updated: 2013-09-21
Packaged: 2017-12-27 05:05:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,342
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/974663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sinna/pseuds/Sinna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eponine takes her little brother to a performance of The Nutcracker. She wasn't expecting the Sugar Plum Fairy to be so gorgeous.</p>
            </blockquote>





	En Pointe

There are very few things in this world that Eponine is grateful for. 

Grantaire's job running sound for the local theater is one of them. Not only does this mean that he has enough money to buy his own beer, instead of stealing hers, but it also means that he can get her in to see dress rehearsals. Eponine has never been a huge appreciator of the arts, but Valjean puts on good shows, and if nothing else it's something to do on a Wednesday night.

She's brought Gavroche this time, since it's almost Christmas and the show is a local ballet school's performance of The Nutcracker. Her little brother is trying to play it cool, but she can see the way his eyes are wide as he takes in the elegant theater.  

"Is that real gold?" he asks in a whisper.

"Of course not," she says. "This is a theater. Nothing is what it seems."

"So just like real life, then?"

Eponine laughs.

"You got it, kiddo."

She hushes him as the overture begins. The first act is a dazzling whirl of elegant costumes and beautiful dancing. Eponine, who still remembers a storybook based on this ballet that she had as a child, finds herself explaining the plot in whispers to Gavroche.

“Enjoying it so far?” Grantaire asks at intermission.

“Shouldn’t you be in the sound booth?” Eponine asks.

He shrugs.

“Bahorel can cover for me if anything comes up,” he says, referring to his assistant.

“Won’t Enjolras be furious if he finds out?”

Enjolras is officially Valjean’s personal assistant, but that really means that he’s the person who actually runs things around the theater.

“What will I be furious about?”

Somehow, the blond managed to sneak up on them. He recognizes Grantaire and sighs.

“Never mind. I figured it out. Grantaire, get back to work.”

“I’m chatting with my friends.”

“Grantaire, so help me I will drag you back up there myself.”

One cheeky grin later and Enjolras has a vicelike grip on Grantaire’s wrist and is pulling him away.

“Sorry, Eponine,” he calls over his shoulder.

“Fifty bucks they end up making out in a closet before they get back to the sound booth,” Gavroche says.

“I’d like to keep my money where it is, thank you very much,” Eponine replies.

When the second act begins, she can tell that it’s Bahorel working the sound. This is why she never bets against Gavroche.

And then the Sugar Plum Fairy comes onstage and all thoughts of Grantaire and sound systems flies from her mind.

The girl is gorgeous. Her light brown hair is pulled back tightly into a bun, except for a few artfully arranged curls. Her smile is beautiful and genuine and she dances like a dream.

“Sis! Sis! What’s happening?”

She only barely hears Gavroche.

“The Sugar Plum Fairy is welcoming them back to the Prince’s kingdom,” she explains.

“Is that the pretty one?”

“Yes.”

There are a few more dances until the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy. Eponine waits in exquisite agony.

The girl doesn’t disappoint. Her dancing is flawless, and almost unreal. Eponine is breathless as she watches this girl spin and stretch. Her partner is also quite good, but Eponine barely registers him except to growl softly whenever he touches _her_ ballerina. The sudden rush of possessiveness should frighten her, but it feels like the most natural thing in the world.

When the beautiful girl leaves the stage, a piece of Eponine goes with her.

“Sis, what’s gotten into you?” Gavroche asks. “The plot isn’t _that_ gripping.”

“Shut up,” Eponine snaps.

Gavroche pouts and doesn’t talk again for the rest of the show. He seems lost in thought.

“So, what did you think?” Grantaire asks, after the show.

“It was really good,” Eponine tells him.

“Can you take us backstage?” Gavroche asks, his face arranged in a perfect display of innocent curiosity.

Unfortunately, Eponine forgot to mention her brother’s conniving tricks to Grantaire, and he’s only too happy to show them around.

“Everyone decent?” Grantaire shouts as he knocks on the dressing room door.

“Just a second!” a bird-like voice calls.

_She_ answers the door a minute later, clad only in a thin robe. She frowns when she sees Eponine and Gavroche.

“Oh, you brought visitors? I’m sorry. I should put on something more suitable.”

“Don’t worry about it, Cosette,” Grantaire says. “I’m sure Eponine and Gavroche won’t be distracted by your womanly virtues.”

“My womanly virtues happen to be very distracting,” Cosette insists, leaning forward to better display her perfect breasts, only barely covered by the robe.

“Cosette, stop flirting!” someone yells from inside the room.

“Gavroche is eleven,” Eponine hisses to Grantaire.

“And gay,” Gavroche insists, his eyes glued to Cosette’s chest. “I have no interest in boobs and therefore you can keep displaying them in front of me.”

Eponine pins her hands over his eyes.

“You should probably go change,” she says, trying to keep her own eyes from wandering.

Cosette laughs.

“Sorry, I sometimes forget I’m not supposed to act like that around normal people.”

She closes the door and returns a minute later in a pastel pink dress.

“Better?”

“You look lovely, my dear,” Grantaire tells her, stepping forward to kiss her cheek.

She giggles.

“Thank you! Now, these two are here for the private tour, right?”

She motions for them to come inside.

“I’m afraid you missed most of the dancers,” she says. “It’s just me, Irma, and Floréal left.”

Irma is a tall pretty blonde who Eponine remembers from the Waltz of the Snowflakes, and Floréal is the dark-skinned beauty who played Clara. They’re discussing something under their breath as they pack up their pointe shoes, and judging from the continuous glances at Grantaire, it’s probably him. He bows graciously at them, drawing a glare from Floréal and a giggle from Irma.

“How is our fearless leader today, R?” she asks.

Grantaire smirks.

“Very good, ladies, I assure you.”

The three ballerinas look at each other, then at Grantaire.

“You didn’t?!”

By now, Eponine has caught onto the subject of their conversation.

“He most certainly did,” she declares proudly, as if the accomplishment of getting Enjolras and Grantaire together had been her own.

Floréal cracks first, rushing to Grantaire and flinging her arms around him. Cosette and Irma quickly follow.

“It’s about time!” Irma laughs.

“Ladies, ladies, I believe my friends were getting a tour?”

The three back away slowly.

“Well, as you can see, this is the girls’ dressing room,” Floréal says. “Cosette and I have our own dressing rooms off that hallway, but we prefer being out here whenever possible. It’s much more fun.”

Cosette nods, and leads them out the door opposite the hallway Floréal just indicated.

“The boys’ dressing rooms are down this way. I’d show you the inside, but I’m pretty sure Marius and Courfeyrac are making out in there again. The stairs up to the stage are right here. Do you want to go see?”

“Please?” requests Gavroche.

“Certainly.”

Cosette leads the little group up onto the stage.

“And this is where the magic happens,” Irma declares, spinning in the dim half-light.

Gavroche runs up and peeks through the curtains and Eponine smiles.

A slight weight on her shoulder causes Eponine to freeze. She turns her head to see Cosette using her to balance as she holds her leg above her head.

“I saw you looking,” the ballerina remarks quietly.

“What are you talking about?” Eponine asks, even as she guiltily glances down at Cosette’s chest.

“You know perfectly well what I’m talking about. I usually go out with the girls for ice cream after performances, but I know a lovely little restaurant nearby if you’re interested.”

“Are you asking me out on a date?”

“Yes.”

Eponine steals a look at Gavroche.

“What about him?”

“Send him out for ice cream with Irma and Floréal. They can even take him home if you want.”

“I’d like that,” Eponine says after some consideration.

“Good.”

Her lips brush Eponine's in a feather-soft kiss.


End file.
